What

What is this key signing thing all about? This is an event used to create trust paths for the OpenPGP Web of Trust. Events like this help create those trust paths that allow you to trust e-mail messages and files received over the Internet (or by other means). While trust is increased substantially when you receive a message or file from some you have exchanged key signatures with the web allows you to trust others by trusting the path that is created between two keys using others as trust agents. How well you trust those that create that path is up to you but it does help.

Who

Anyone attending FUDCon Lawrence, or who is just passing through the greater Lawrence, KS area, may attend this event. It is open to the public. We ask that you register ahead of time so we'll be prepared and you won't have to be the odd one who doesn't have their key already in the keyring and will have to read their entire key aloud while everyone has to write it down quickly.

Signing up

Where

The key signing event will be held at FUDCon Lawrence on the campus of Kansas University.

When

Saturday, 19 January 2013

Please see the Saturday schedule for exact time and location information as this is subject to change.

How

Participating in a key signing event is quite easy and signing the keys afterwards is even easier.

Things to bring to the event:

Yourself

At least one government issued photo ID

Your key's fingerprint (gpg --fingerprint keyid) printed or written down

A writing instrument (pen or pencil)

Things to *not* bring to the event:

A computer

Why you shouldn't bring a computer?

There are a variety of reasons, why you don't want to do this. The short answer is it would be insecure, unsafe, and of no benefit. For those not convinced, here are some reasons why it is insecure, unsafe, and of no benefit.

If people are carrying their secret keys with them and intend to do the signing at the actual meeting by typing their passphrase into a computer, then they are open to key-logging attacks, shoulder-surfing, etc.

Key signing Procedure

All attendees send their public keys to a public keyserver. If for some reason you don't want your key to be in a public keyserver, but still want to participate, please let me know.

All attendees posts their fingerprint to this wiki page (see below). The event coordinator will compile everyone's key information.

The host prints a list with everyone's fingerprint from the compiled keyrings and distributes copies of the printout at the meeting.

Attend the party. Bring along a paper copy of your fingerprint that you obtained from your own keyring. You must also bring along a suitable photo ID. Instruct the attendees at the beginning that they are to make two marks on the listing, one for correct key information and one if the ID check is ok.

At the meeting the host will distribute the key forms and a hash of that form. The host will read the hash key out so that everyone can verify they have the same file. Everyone will verify that their fingerprint is correct on the form. Once everyone has verified these two pieces of information we will start with the identifications.

After everyone has read his key ID information, have all attendees form a line.

The first person walks down the line having every person check his ID.

The second person follows immediately behind the first person and so on.

If you are satisfied that the person is who they say they are, and that the key on the printout is theirs, you place another check-mark next to their key on your printout.

Once the first person cycles back around to the front of the line he has checked all the other IDs and his ID has been checked by all others.

After everybody has identified himself or herself the formal part of the meeting is over. You are free to leave or to stay and discuss matters of PGP and privacy (or anything else) with fellow PGP users. If everyone is punctual the formal part of the evening should take less than an hour.

After confirming that the key information on the key server matches the printout that you have checked, sign the appropriate keys. Keys can only be signed if they have two check-marks.

Send the signed keys back to the key-servers.

Use those keys as often as possible.

Acceptable Identification

There are no hard and fast rules of what forms of identification are acceptable to any specific individual. Generally speaking the following forms of identification should be acceptable: